Carton-opening mechanism for packaging machines



1.. 9 .J 5 9 4, el.A N A T H .G U A N C A M J.

.May 27 .1924.

cARToN OPENING MEcHANIsMjFon AcKAGxNG MACHINES Filed Nov. s, 1922 4sheets-sheet 1 May 27, 1924. 1.495.191

J. VMACN-UGHTAN CARTON OPENING MEChHANlSM FO PACKAGING MACHINES FiledNov. 9, 1922 4' sheets-sheet 2 May 27, 1924.

J. MACNAUGHTAN CARTON OPENING MEGHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHI'NESSheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 9, 1922 l to avoid the complication` andstructural' l YPatented May 27, 1924.

. UNITED STATES-f 1,495,191 PATENT UOFFICE.

JAMES MACNAUGHTAN, OF BROO-KIINSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GDRDANMACHINE COMPANY, 0F WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSA-CHUSETTS.

CARTON-OPENING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINES.

Application led November 9, 1922. Serial No. 599,774.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES MACNAUGH- "rAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residingat Brookline, in the county of Norfolk an `State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carton-Openmerchandise therein.

Y y The object of the invention is -to provide vimproved openingmechanism, whereby col- V lapsed cartons may be automatically openedpartly by internal and partly by external pressure', without theemployment 'of means having aturningor partial rotary movement withinthe carton, my object being chiefly weakness which is involved incarton-opening'r'neans applying opening pressure wholly within thecarton.

.Of the accompan ing drawings forming a Figure 1 iis a top plan view ofthe ortilon i fof a packaging machine which inclu es carton-openingmechanism embodying my 1n- Sventlon. y

f Figure 2 1s an isometric View, showing the opening blade after it haspartially'entered A Asecurel the cartonythe tab lever holding the ltabwhile being opened, the feed strips which pushthebox intopositi'onjforopening, and the jaws for applying external ressure to tV e carton afterthe opening bla je hasbeen Figure 9 is a section tov show :the method tothe"base plate, the stop Vfingerswhich eep the carton from moving.forward d of bringingxthe .carton to shape of removing 'the plungerfrom the carton, so

as to leave the carton ceivingboii.V A 1 V Figures 10 to 14 inclusiveare side elevations to show the carton in various positions. Figure l0shows the feed strips pushing the undisturbed in the re'- rlowest cartonin-the magazine intoposition against the stop fingers. IniFigure 11 theopening` blade is inserted into the carton and o'pens it partially. Thecarton which has been opened previously has been dropped into thereceiving box and `has started towardthe other end of the machine, asshown in Figure 12.v The jaws swing up to push the carton'into shapewhile the opening blade is in the carton. 'When the carton is fullyopened, the overhead finger swings out and holds the carton, preventingit from collapsing while the'opening blade withdraws. v 1

In Figurel, the plunger guide is raised to thelevel of the carton, andthe plunger is pushedE into. the carton as the blade withdraws. Thereceiving box has ejected the previous carton and is returning to theorigfinal position.

In Fi ure 14, the plunger withl the carton is move along the plungerguide, into position directly over the -receiving box. The feed stripshave pushed a new carton into position, and the returning receiving boxas raised the stop fingers so as to limit the movement of the newcarton.- Figure 10 shows the plunger with its carton lowered' intoposition inside the receiving box, after which the plunger withdraws,leaving the carton tobe carried away by the receiving box.

The machine is provided with a vertical magazine adapted to contain apile of collapsedcartons 20, the lowest carton resting on the horizontalbottom of the magazine. The vertical sides of the magazine arepreferably'fermed b y two upstanding angular members 22, spaced apart asindicated by 'Figure 1, and formed to permit a pile of cartonstherebetween to move downward.

The lowest carton is ejected from the magezine b a reciprocating slide23,' which forms t er bottom of the magazine, and is movable in guides24, and rovded with means suchas the ends 25 o strips 25, for engagingthe rear edge of the lowest carton and pus ing the carton forward.AThestrips `25 are attached by screws, the slide 23.

blade, the stop fin i or, otherwise, to

A carton ejected by the slide is arrested by stop lingers 26, which 'areraised 'and lowered by means later described. The larger flap at one endof the ejected carton is held down or clamped by a presser-foot 33,formed on a lever 34, which is fulcrumed at '35, and is oscillated bymeans hereinafter described, to cause the foot to hold down thecartoniiap before and during the operation of opening the carton, and torelease the flap after the carton has been opened. The carton isarrested in the path of a reciprocating opening blade 27, which has awedgedshaped forward end, and is adapted to part ly open the carton andcooperate with the stop fingers 26 in holding the partly opened cartonwhile it is being acted on by swinging jaws 28. Said jaws are fixed to arockshaft 29, and as indicated by Figures 5 and 6, are adapted to fullyopen the carton. The blade 27, when inserted in the carton, bears on oneof the major sides at its junction with one of the minor sides, andcauses the carton to assume the rhomboidal form in* cross section shownby Figure 5, the major sides being somewhat separated, and 4the minorsides inclined,rso that 4one of them 'is in the path of inovement'of thejaws 28. The jaws swing upward when `the cartn is .thus held, and strikethe oyerhan'iing minorside of the carton, and'swingtle same 1against oneedge ofthe' blade 27, as shown'by Figure. This operation completes 'theopening of. the carton, the cross section of'which is now rec tangular.

To prevent the opened carton from col-V lapsing while the blade2i' isbeingwith drawn, 1 provide a' curved holding-'down finger 30, fixed toan arm 31, on a rock-shaft 32. The rock-shaft is turned by meanshereinafter described, to Vcause the .finger 30 to alternately assumethe positions shown by Figures 10 and 12, the finger being in Figure 10position before,.and 1n Figure 12 f3" position after, the carton isopened. When in the latter position, the finger exerts' con'- tiningpressure on the cartom-Vsojthat the i withdrawal of the blade 27 doesnotdisplace the carton. A

fter the withdrawal of thegopening gers 26 areirloweied, and the openedcarton is transferlgpd by mechanism presently described,toftfreciprocatin'g box 37, which carries the cartonvforwardforsubsequent operations` in which'the'v present invention is notinvolved.. The "boil lj'lhich is shown 1n perspect1ve 8, is formed on aslidefSS't'iva le horizontally on the table 21. The'box has side faces37, and a bottom face 37", forming 'the `walls of an openendedreceptacle in which the body portion of an opened carton maybedeposited, and from w lich its' end portions or Aa'ps may project in'opposite directions, to

be acted 'on by other instrumentalities'of a complete packaging machine.

The transferring mechanism whereby the opened carton is deposited in thebox 37, is embodied as follows:

40 represents a plunger formed to enter and conform to the interior ofthe opened carton, and having a compound movement whereby it is caused'to first move horizontally into the opened carton, after the witl1-drawal `of the opening blade 27, then horizontally with the carton to apositiop over the box 37, vthe latter bein below the plane in which theopening b1 e moves, as indicated by Figure 7, then downward into thebox, thu's depositing the carton in the box, and, finally horizont-allyout of the carton, the latter being detained in the' box by a detent lip41 (Flgure 9), which bears on one end-of the carton.

The plunger 40 has arecess 42, in its under side, into which the detentproiects, the recess being arranged to permit withdrawahof the plungerfrom theo ent and the box; The plun er is returned after its withdrawallfrom t e bpx, to position to enter the cartpnLnjextopened.;y'l Y From'the foregoing it "be seen that the lowest carton is opened by thesuccessive action of the blade 27 and the jaws 28, and is the-n'transferred from the position where it was o cned, so that it may besibsequently closed at one end, filled, and then closed at its opposite.end by suitable means provided for these pur oses. The reciproeatingvopening blade an the oscillatingjaws constitute a simple and reliablenmeans for -is involved when'the I'neans for ning the ication andliability to drangement which carton o'era-tes wholly within t e carton,and invo vesainember or m mbers entering thecarton, and then paryrotating or swinging within ythe carton. The opening blade 27perforlnsits function within the, carton, andwhas only a; reciprocatinmovenient. The jays-28 perform their nction outside thecirtpm andhaveonly an oscilc la'ting moyem' strnine'n'talities' a' compoundmovern'int.

It is; obvious' that the (Zperating mechanisnwheby t'lierdescribemovements are imparted togthe essential inammenmlitis in which the'ipyenembodiedf'm'ay be of any suitable-haracterl' In tliiseinbodimentof,..the invntfon',`said mechanism is embodied'as fol-lows:'-` tThe-main shaft 443 of the' machine is con nected by gears 44,45, withaysliaft 46, carof cams 4.8, which spondingi plnralityjof 'evers 49,;the lower that4 neither of saijndcoo. crate with 'a correends of whichare pivoted to liked fears 50.

One of tli'e levers 49` is connected by n rod 2a rying a sprocketwbeel-47, and a plurality lthe shaft 62, meshes with a beve 51 (Figure7) with, and reciprocates the carton-ejectng slide 23. Another lever 49is connected by a rod 52 with1a,slid ing rack 53, meshing with aV arsegment 54 on the rock-shaft 29, whic -carries the jaws 28. The rack isreciprocated by the lever with which it is connected, and Voscillatesthe Jaws. rod 56 (Figure 7) with an arm 57, on the rock-shaft 32,carrying the carton-holding linger 30, said finger being oscillated bythe lever with which it is ccnnected. A rod 58 (Figures 7 and 8)connects. another lever 49 with a slide 60, constituting a guide inwhich the plunger 40 is movable by means described later. The slide 60is reciprocated by the lever 49, with a carton in which it is inserted,from the opening station to a point over the box 37. The sprocket wheel47, on the shaft .46, is connected by a chain 60, with a sprocket wheel61, on a shaft 62; A bevel ear 63 on gear `64 on a cam shaft 65, havinga plurality of cams 66.

Reciprocating motion is imparted to the opening blade 27 by one of thecams 66.

through connections including a lever 67 (Figure 3) fulcrumed at 68, andhaving a trundle roll 69 bearing on the cam, a bellcrank lever 70,fulcrumed at 71, and havin a pivotal and sliding connection at 72 witithe lever 67, and a rod 73 connecting the lever with an ear 74, fixed tothe cartonejecting slide 23. Oscillating motion is imparted from anothercam 66 to the flap clamping pressure-foot 33, by a lever 75, fulcrumedat 76, and having a trundle-roll 77 bearing on the cam last referred to,and a rod 78 connecting the lever 75 with the presser-foot lever 34.

The plunger-guiding slide 60 is movable on a guide bar 80, to move theplunger to its carton-entering position, and therefrom to a positionover the box 37, this movement being effected by the mechanism alreadydescribed, including the rod 58. The guide bar SQ is alternately raisedand lowered by mechanism which includes two upright rods 81 (Figure 7),connected with opposite' ends of the bar and movable vertically in fixedguides in the table 21, a bar 82 connected withthe lower ends of saidrod, and a lever 83 fulcrumed at`84, andhaving a trundleroll at one end,bearing Unione of the cams 66` its opposite end being'fslidably engagedwith the lower bar 82.

The plunger 40 is reciprocated in the guiding slide 60 by mechanismwhich includes a lever 86` (Figure 3), fulcrumed at 84 beside the lever83, and having at one bell-crank lever 87, fulcrumed at 88, and

which it is connected l by the rod 58, and carries the plunger, and

slidingly engaged at one end with the slotted end of the lever 86, andat its other end with a slotted head 89 on the plunger 40.

I claim:

1. Carton-ogening mechanism comprising a supporting ed, means forlocating a collapsed carton in a predetermined position Another lever 49is connected by e thereon, cartonopening means including one of itsmajor sides in contact with thebed, carton-opening means including twosuccessively operating instrumentali'ties, one being formed to beinserted between the major sides, and having a reciprocating move-4 mentcausing it to enter the carton, and partly open the same, and the otherformed to contact with one of the minor sides, and having an oscillatingmovement outside the carton to erect the minor sides and complete theopening of the carton, a curved oscillatory holding-down finger adaptedto bear4 on an opened carton, and prevent displacev ment thereof by saidreciprocating instrumentality, when the latter is withdrawing from thecarton, and means for oscillating said finger.

3. Carton-o ening mechanism comprisin a supaorting ed, means forlocating a co la carton, having major and minor si es, in apredetermined position thereon, with one ofits major sides in contactwith the bed, cartonopening means including two successively operatinginstrumentalities, one being formed to be inserted between the majorsides, and having a reciprocating movement causing it to enter thecarton, and partly open the same, and the other formed to contact withone ofthe minor sides, and having an oscillating movement outside thecarton to erect the minor sides and complete the opening of the carton,a carton-receiving box, means 'for transferring an opened carton fromthe said opening instrumentalities to said box, and means for shiftingthe box'to transfer the opened carton to other istrumentalities.

4. Carton-opening mechanism comprising a supporting bed, means forlocating a collapsed carton, having major and minorsides, in apredetermined position thereon, with one of its major sides in contactwith the bed, carton-opening means including two successively operatinginstrumentalities', one being formed to be inserted between the majorsides, and having a reciprocating movement causing it to enter thecarton, an partly open the same, and the other formed to contact withone of the minor sides, and having an oscillating movement outside `thecarton to erect the minor sides and complete the opening of the carton,a carton-receiving box, a compound motion feed plunger, ada tedto'transfer an opened carton from sai opening instrumentalities to saidbox, and means for shifting the box to transfer the opened carton toother instrumentalities. 5. Carton-o enng mechanism comprising nsupporting ed, means for locating a collapsed carton, having major andminor sides, in a predetermined position thereon, with one of its majorsides in contact with the bed, carton-opening means-including twosuccessively operating instrumentalities, one being formed to beinserted betweenthe mafjor sldes, and having a reciprocativr'igrmove.ment causing it te enter the carton, and partly open the same, and theotheriformed to contact with one of he minor sides, and having anoscillating movement outside the carton to erect the minor sides andcomplete the opening of the carton, a carton-receiving box, a feedplunger adapted to enter an force the latter into theopened carton anbox, means for imparting a compound; motion to said plunger, and meansfor shifting the box Yto transfer the opened carton to otherinstrumentalities.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

JAMES MACNAUGHTAN.

